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Original X-roads-2003
In the Future…
The pushing and screaming from the angry mob I was now surrounded by was a little unnerving. I quickly began to try and push my way out, when I was hit by something cold and metal. I tried to keep consciousness and make my way out of the crowd. Falling down I reached for the back of my head, the world began to blur.
I awoke in the stench of year old urine and mold, A naked light hung by a thinning wire in the small walk in closet I laid in. I propped myself on a stained lumpy mattress, I glanced at the stained moldy off white walls. The doorway that led outside a metal frame with what looked to me like peeling lead pain, dark gray. The surroundings sent my eyes squinting from the fumes as I reached down to pull my shirt up I noticed this isn’t my shirt. A dark blue stained t-shirt, reeking of month old sweat. How long had I been out anyway? I notice I am at least wearing cut offs. I stood and started stumbling out of the doorway trying to make it down the newspaper carpeted hallway without touching the dingy walls.
The light outside was almost blinding, as I heard the sound of distant screaming followed by a few gunshots, then silence. I glanced around at my new surroundings, a large ten foot fence surrounding a sea of concrete, with only a small opening to walk through in front of me. A small two way street stood just beyond the way out, but there was not a soul around, I turned around and looked at the twenty story building I had just walked out of, it’s filthy dark red brick, only interrupted by the concrete holding the mud covered windows. No cars came down the street, in fact there wasn’t even the sound of distant traffic. I scratched the back of my neck and began to venture out into the street.
A regular city block, there were what looked to be office buildings a few blocks down. A nicer section of this inner city, no more concrete meeting concrete, glinting the suns rays into the inevitable heat. But nice grassy sections, sidewalk perfectly centered, sweet driveways leading into flat, smooth parking lots. White poles that stood about mid calf with white smooth chains connecting together, obviously to keep the strayer off the grass. Trees lining the streets offering out shade, I meandered closer and stood under a tree. A loud horn blasted across the entire city, almost deafening me as I held my hands over my ears. After the sound had died down the sound of distant traffic became apparent.
People began streaming into the vicinity, a sea of grey and black. I blinked as I watched them walk perfectly in stride with each other, as if zombies, eyes straight ahead as they carried their brief cases. Soon they passing me as if they had notice to me at all, I walked closer to the poles and reached out my hand to stop one of them, anyone would do. My hand only greeted with some spare change, I glanced at the coins shining from the sunlight that streamed through the separation of the leaves. Between the crowds I saw a woman walk to the building across the street, she placed her thumb on a plate by the door and it opened. I shook my head, then reached out more forcefully grabbing a man. His perfectly trimmed hair, shaven face, clear brown eyes… His suit pinstriped gray, defiantly hand tailored, he jerked out of my grasp with a look of utter repulsion in his face.
“You know the whole lot of you people should be cut out of our society. You uneducated parasites, leeching off our government, and if that weren’t enough you stand here and have the audacity to ask for hand outs, with your dirty little hands. I don’t know why they don’t step up the eradication process, there’s no value in you people. It disgusts me that my tax money is spent on you.” With that he turned and walked off.